One research emphasis of the Foundation is the evaluation of the effectiveness of various policing innovations, such as community policing and problem-oriented policing. The Police Foundation will also assume a leadership role in defining and developing new methods of policing and new technologies for improving policing, with attention to how these are applied to pressing social problems such as drug abuse, homelessness, and domestic violence. Of particular concern in this research area are "hot-spots" policing and computer-mapping applications. Further, basic research will be an important part of the Foundation's research agenda. Such research will not only help the Foundation to develop a broader based understanding of policing issues; it will also help in the making of concrete policy decisions. There will be an emphasis on recent and important shifts in crime prevention efforts. Defining the boundaries of the police role is another research emphasis. This involves determining parameters for police involvement in the community under the relatively new responsibilities of community policing and problem-oriented policing, with attention to impacts on the distribution and equity of police resources. Finally, defining the police of the future is another focus of Foundation research.